I don't keep a checkbook ledger because I rarely write checks.  Until I discovered my new church uses tithe.ly, my tithe check was the only one I wrote every week.  However, since there are bills that I pay online that don't come out of my account immediately, I needed a way to keep up with my balance.  This insert is my solution.

First of all is the monthly calendar at the top.  I know when each bill is due, but it helps me tremendously to see at a glance what day of the week they fall on in conjunction with payday. 

Every Friday or Saturday morning, I list the bills due that week on the ledger.  As I pay them, I put a little check by the item.  When they clear the bank, I highlight, or cross through, the item (I also cross them off the calendar for an at a glance visual).

This system helps me quickly get an accurate balance by subtracting any uncleared amounts from what the bank says we have. Every time I update the balance, I highlight or cross through the previous balance to help my eyes go immediately to the one that is most current.

Download the Balance Sheet

Those things only last so long. Our Friday school close after their first two years of high school.  They began driving and became more independent (which is the goal, right?).  After graduation, I was writing very little in my planner that had to do with my guys.  I loved planning as much as always but now what?

I resisted using my planner for tracking housework or daily habits as I saw that as unnecessary for me.  I realized that I didn't track a lot of things because I actually have a pretty good memory, but I started to rethink things when I realized I still wanted to use my planning system. With a little research, you too might begin to realize that there are tons of things you can use your planner for that don't necessarily include actual plans.  

Here's a list of things that I still track in my planner, and the things that are new to me and I want to experiment with them.

Books - more time to myself = more times to read.  I will make a list of the top 10 books I want to read (ten as not to overwhelm), and check them off as I read each one.

Movies - this will be a running list of movies I've heard about that I want to check out.

Medication - the medications of a transplant patient are many!  I've kept a list of all my meds in my planner for years, because inevitably a nurse is going to ask me what meds am I taking and the list is too long and painful to give out one by one! <LOL!>  I keep extra copies and just pop one out and give it to the nurse. (They appreciate it, too!)

Weekly Menu - we shop every week so a system must be in place so I don't go crazy.  I have  menu blank, a frequently used items list (so I don't forget things not on menu), and a grocery list (usually created to match the aisles in my grocery store).

Weight Loss - I am thinking about making a whole section for this.  Tracking healthy habits, food journals, rewards, measurements, etc. will help me be more successful.  I use My Fitness Pal for tracking food/calories and will probably continue.

Wish Lists - lists not just for things I want for my birthday and Christmas, but also wish lists for remodeling (pain, new drapes, repair lamp shade), thrifting (pillows for the deck chairs, plates for my wall collection), vacation ideas...literally lists for anything you want to remember and revisit.

Budgeting

Memory keeping (special conversations, quotes from family to remember, etc.)

Information on pets

Goals

Daily Index

There are so, so many more things that you can do in your planner.  I think my problem is that I have had trouble letting go how things used to be.  Moving from homeschooling for 13 years to being an almost empty nester can be difficult.  I'm taking this opportunity to recreate my planner and make it into what would serve me best now.

Even though I have not kept the same blog schedule as I have in previous years, I am not ready to let go of my domain just yet. So, even though I can't make promises about the frequency of my blogging, you can be sure that you will see some more posts about planners, as well as the other things going on in my life.  If you're still around after all my changes over the years, I thank you!